Women in Wisconsin will soon be eligible to receive expanded Medicaid coverage for up to a year after giving birth.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers signed the bill into law Wednesday.
Evers said expanding postpartum coverage is the right move for Wisconsin families.
He said supporting new moms and their babies in the first year of life is critical for the long-term physical and mental health for both.
“Research has shown us that expanding postpartum coverage leads to improved maternal and birth outcomes, thanks to more folks being able to access the care they need when they need it—and without breaking the bank,” said Evers. “Now more than ever, we should be working to make healthcare more affordable and more accessible, not making it more expensive and harder for folks—including new moms and families—to get the care they need.”
According to the Department of Health Services, nearly half of pregnancy-related deaths occur in the postpartum period, and the Wisconsin Maternal Mortality Review Team found that 95 percent of those deaths were preventable.
“Supporting new moms and their babies in the first year of life is critical for the long-term physical and mental health for both,” said Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary Kirsten Johnson. “Research shows extending this coverage improves health outcomes by strengthening a new mother’s physical and emotional health and reduces the need for extensive and expensive long-term treatment.
Expanded postpartum coverage will be available for Wisconsin families starting July 1st., 2026, following a review period and approval of Wisconsin’s state plan amendment by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Senate Bill 23, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 102:
- Extends postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to one year; and
- Requires the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to seek approval from the federal Department of Health and Human Services to extend until the last day of the month in which the 365th day after the last day of the pregnancy falls Medicaid benefits to women who are eligible for those benefits when pregnant.
